Open Your Eyes
by SuperWhoLockedsince'12
Summary: Things aren't good. Castiel is in hospital after a mental breakdown, Dean is working all day and all night to pay their bills. Gabriel is doing his best to keep it together but Sam is unwilling to help. He can feel their relationship falling apart, and all he has is his art to help. Can the ruptured ties be re-woven? A Sabriel College AU sequel to First Impressions Often Lie.
1. Optic Nerve

**AN: This is a sequel to First Impressions Often Lie, my Destiel high school AU. I had many requests to write a sequel from Sam & Gabriel's perspective, so here is the first chapter. It is going to be much shorter than the original. Feedback is greatly appreciated! x**

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_Lia Smog College, Pink Block_

_Room 19_

_Hey Sammy!_

_Long time, no see! Cas and I miss you and Gabe. You should come down to the Road House sometime! I could give you two a free beer (that's if Jo doesn't skin me first!). It could give you a break from all that study you've been doing. Can't say I envy you, though life could be a lot easier.  
Not that I'm complaining! Cas is getting a lot better. It's so good to see him smile again. I think he misses his family right now, what with his Dad (and now Anna) not talking to him. He says Gabriel comes to visit every month or so, and he seems happiest after those days. But, even with me visiting every second day or so and Meg being his nurse, I know he still gets lonely. I think he just wants his dad's approval for once in his life… He deserves it, after all the shit he's had to put up with. I still can't believe Anna…  
Anyway, how are you and Gabe doing? I hear you've been having some time apart. It must be hard being in rival colleges. I hear Gabe's art business is working out well. We're going to try hard to get to his exhibition next month, but it's hard to get time off.  
I've been working my ass off doing morning and night shifts here. Ellen does her best, but it's not like she can afford to give me a pay raise. Her and Jo put me up, so I shouldn't complain. Cas feels terrible as it is that the hospital charges so much. Thankfully, Meg is doing her best to maintain our Friends of the Hospital discount. I've tried to talk to dad about lending a hand, but he won't hear of it. He still hasn't come around to the idea of my sexuality not being as straightforward as he'd imagined, and I'm beginning to think that he won't ever be accommodating. At least he hasn't totally cut me out, like Cas and Gabriel's Dad did. I feel bad for whatever manipulation he managed to get Anna on his side, but at the same time I want to punch her in the face. How could she do this? Just up and stop talking to her brothers when they needed her the most?! She didn't lift a finger for Gabe when he asked for tuition, let alone when Cas had a fucking mental breakdown!  
I'm just glad that I've got you, man. I would so fucked if I was alone in all of this. I wish mum was here.  
I hope to see you soon. It's been close to a year since I last saw that ugly mug of yours. I hope you're enjoying yourself, despite the circumstances. _

_Dean._

_P.S. Phones are still down up here, so don't try to call me. Also, still haven't rigged up WiFi, so just try and stick with snail mail. I know you hate it.  
P.P.S. If you see any possible hunts, dad insists that you contact him. Even though he is being a dick lately, he doesn't expect us to keep up the family business while this continues._

H.B. Stewart College was situated on the edge of a spectacular river, bordered with tall pine trees. In the worst of times, it was a calming place, and many of the art students who attended the college crowded its banks with easels and sketch books. Though it was mainly flat land, many fanaticised a Canada-like, mountain backdrop to the miles of pine on the opposite bank.  
Gabriel dragged his brush lazily over the canvas, creating a thick, white line in its wake. It was early in the morning. His breath appeared a white cloud of vapour as he concentrated on adding intricate black lines to the white he had just smeared. He didn't feel the cold biting his hands that gripped the paint brush and pallet, only the shape and form of his work.

"Bit early for you, isn't it?" A voice rang out in the silence.

"Shit!" Gabriel jumped at the noise and looked over his shoulder. A skinny boy in a white shirt and red skinny jeans approached from the campus. He was flicking his short, shaggy brown hair from where it overhung in his eyes.

"Sorry Gabriel," He grinned apologetically, "Didn't mean to scare you."

"Whatever, Samandriel," He said, returning to his painting.

"Why are you out here so early?" Samandriel asked.

"Because no one else is here. I needed some peace to finish this." He gestured at his painting.

"You could have done it in your dorm…"

"You know full well no one likes me here except you."

"Oh, that's not true." Samandriel smirked at Gabriel. "It's just that sometimes your pranks and jokes get to us artsy, sophisticated people."

Gabriel rolled his eyes.

"You're hardly as sophisticated as you think." He squinted as he added some final shadowing to his painting. He stepped back a little to view it in its fullest and gave a curt nod, satisfied. He put his brush in a jar of cloudy water sitting in front of his easel.

"I like it." Samandriel said, admiring the painting with the scenic lake behind it. "Is it for your show?"

Gabriel shook his head as he threw the water out of the jar.

"It's for Cassie when he gets out…"

Samandriel nodded.

"I see."

The painting was dominated with a pair of long, white, feathery wings on a black backdrop. They were attached to a dark haired man with an unshaven face, blue tie and trench coat who was dwarfed compared to the wingspan. He sat in the bottom, right-hand corner reading a book on an invisible platform. Castiel.

As Samandriel looked to his friend, he noticed a tall figure approaching behind him and a half-smile dawned his face. "I don't think this painting is the only reason you got up so early."

Gabriel raised his eyebrows and followed Samandriel's gaze behind him. Sam Winchester walked up the gravel pathway encircling the college, his own stare over the tops of the trees and into the overcast sky.

"I'll leave you two alone." Samandriel gave Gabriel a knowing smile, before walking by the edge of the river, disappearing behind a thick, tree trunk.


	2. Retina

Sam cleared his throat nervously as Gabriel turned his back to him to clean his brushes.

"Nice painting…" Sam said in a conversational tone.

"Thanks." Gabriel answered, smiling briefly over his shoulder.

"I, um, got a letter from Dean the other day," Sam was looking out onto the lake, making it obvious he felt out of place, "Thought you would want an update on Castiel's situation."

Gabriel stopped and looked to Sam.

"I'm listening."

"He's doing well," Sam forced a half-smile, "Dean says he misses his family."

"Don't we all?" Gabriel wondered aloud, shaking his head. Sam nodded.

"I guess."

They were quiet. Sam gave Gabriel a hand while he packed up the easel, holding his painting out of harm's way. It wasn't until Gabriel was squatting by the lake's bank, washing the paint from his hands in the freezing water, that he spoke up.

"Sweet of you to come all this way just to say that." He said coldly and sarcastically. "I mean, it being such a risk for your degree and all if you were to get caught."

Sam coughed awkwardly.

"Jess is keeping watch for me."

Gabriel frowned.

"What do you mean, 'keeping watch'?"

Sam shrugged, embarrassed.

"Well you know," He started, looking at his feet and shifting uncomfortably, "If anyone should come she could... flirt her way out of it… loudly."

Gabriel scoffed and laughed.

"Wow, that's a _great_ plan." He shook his head. "Of course it ought to have her flirting in there somewhere. Any excuse…"

Sam frowned and looked disbelievingly at Gabriel.

"What?"

Gabriel raised an eyebrow.

"You don't think I can tell? You two?"

Sam looked shocked at the statement.

"You _know_ I would never-" He began, but Gabriel quickly cut him off.

"Yeah whatever, I guess I'm just jealous." He turned his back to Sam, gathering up his possessions. Sam's face softened into a mournful look, and he pursed his lips.

"Yeah, well, Cas isn't the only reason I'm here."

"Oh?" Gabriel turned around, easel under his arm, looking expectant.

"I was invited to this party with Jess," He shrugged and looked at his feet again, "I was wondering if you wanted to come too."

Gabriel sighed and shook his head.

"I really wouldn't fit in, and you know it," He stopped and frowned, "Anyway, doesn't your college have a thing against that kind of thing; hanging out with people from _here_? I mean, that's why none of your friends know about _us_."

Sam looked up and met Gabriel's eye. The angry tone in the last sentence caused an icicle of guilt to fall into his stomach.

"I miss you... I don't care."

Gabriel sighed again, looking over to the lake. He was quiet for a minute, avoiding Sam's gaze.

"I've often wondered how long it'd be before I got to see your puppy dog eyes again." He finally looked to him. "A week. The last time it was so I wouldn't mention our little midnight rendezvous in front of Jess."

Sam gulped.

"Come on Gabe," He said, his eyes turned to pleading, "You know why I can't tell anyone. I could lose my scholarship! Or my place there!"

"You could lose your boyfriend."

Sam set his mouth in a hard line, looking at his boots again.

"Don't say that."

Gabriel shrugged and grinned sarcastically.

"Well, you can't treat me like I don't exist forever, Sammy."

Sam gritted his teeth together and looked at Gabriel with anger.

"You know what? I don't have to deal with this crap. This guilt-tripping shit of yours is just pathetic jealousy, Gabe, and I'm sick of it!" He turned to walk back the way he came. "It isn't my fault that our colleges don't like each other, _okay_? I'm doing the _best_ I can to deal with it!"

As Sam walked away, Gabriel threw his easel down angrily.

"You don't have to _pretend_ in order to get your major, Sam! Stick your neck out for someone _else_ for a change!" He spat. Sam stopped and spun around, crunching the grey gravel under the thick soles of his boots.

"Oh, that's _rich_ coming from you, Gabriel! You couldn't even stick up for you own brother when he was getting pressured and bullied!"

Gabriel placed his painting down on the ground and began to walk quickly over to where Sam stood, anger radiating off him like heat waves.

"Don't you _dare_ bring Cassie into this!" He was fuming, and thick droplets of spittle flung from his lips as he growled at Sam. "I did everything I could to keep him stable!"

Sam took a step forward.

"You haven't even confronted _Anna_ yet! She sleeps down the hall from you, and you can't even look her in the face!"

"Is that what this is about, Sam? I'm not _manly_ enough for you?"

The argument was being hissed back and forth in ugly whispers in front of a dormitory with its blinds closed. The two members were facing each other off, standing inches apart. Sam towered over Gabriel's short stature, but he made up for his short frame with a fierce expression.

"Don't be ridiculous!" Sam countered.

"Admit it! Ever since your dad reacted badly to the news – _our_ news – you've been ashamed! Ashamed of me, ashamed of your brother! You're ashamed to tell your friends you're gay with the short, nerdy art student from Stewart!" Gabriel's voice cracked. He clenched his teeth together and took a deep breath, willing himself not to let out a sob that itched the back of his throat.

Sam stood stunned, hurt riddling his face.

"How could you think that?" He asked quietly. "How could you even think that, after everything we've accomplished, everything we've done? I could never be ashamed of my family, and as far as I'm concerned, _you're_ my family, Gabe."

Gabriel shook his head.

"Maybe you should act like it, then."

Sam took a step forward.

"Gabe, please…" He made to reach for his friend, when a high, seductive voice rang through the air.

"I'm _so_ sorry, Duncan," A woman's voice said loudly behind them, "It's just that, when I heard all the rumours about the cute boys down here, I just _had_ to come and look."

Gabriel gulped and looked to Sam.

"You should go." He said simply, turning and walking the other way. Sam frowned at his back.

"Gabriel!"

"Fuck off back to your girlfriend, Sammy."

Sam glowered at Gabriel's disappearing form, his lip twitching with anger from his comment.

"Fine, I _will_." He muttered to no one in particular, turning and walking back the way he'd come. He refused to acknowledge the hurt and guilt pumping through his veins, let alone the _need_ that pulsated from his heart.

_It isn't my fault. I am doing the best I can, and what any sane person would be doing in the circumstances_, he thought to himself._ Gabe is just being immature and childish; he's not dealing with the separation well. I am doing the best I can. It's not my fault._

But Sam couldn't quite believe himself when he looked quickly over his shoulder as Jess led them back to Lia Smog University with her arm around his waist. He couldn't quite distinguish what was the right and wrong thing to do as he saw Gabriel's silhouette in front of the lake, bent over with his hands covering his face.

_I am doing the best I can…These arguments are not my fault…_

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_AN: Feedback is appreciated x_


	3. Lens

Gabriel dropped his heavy book bag next to a bar stool at Harold's Café. Samandriel smiled next to him as he took a seat.  
"How's it going?" He asked cheerfully. Gabriel shrugged.  
"Not well." He said simply, fiddling with a sugar sachet. "Things still aren't good between Sam and I."  
Samandriel looked concerned, pushing a cup of black coffee he'd ordered for Gabriel towards him.  
"How so?"  
Gabriel shrugged, accepting the coffee gratefully.  
"We had another argument, which I may have instigated…" He took a sip from the mug. "I'm just sick of him treating our relationship like it doesn't exist, for the sake of his… popularity." He spat out the last word venomously, taking a massive gulp from the cup, wincing at the bitter taste. Samandriel shook his head.  
"That must really suck…" His brow creased with concern as he saw Gabriel's hopeless look overcome him.  
"I just don't know what to do, Samandriel…" His voice came out in a croak as he viewed the sheer enormity of his troubles in his mind. He covered his face with his hands. "I miss Anna, I wish Cas was better, I wish I could help Dean out, I wish my Dad would talk to me and I wish I had my boyfriend back." He slurred into his hands. Samandriel put a hand on his shoulder, not sure what to do. He was used to being the more emotional out of the two of them. Now that he was on the flipside, he understood how hard it was to just nod and say 'I understand' with no power to change anything. Gabriel shook himself and brought his hands away from his face, looking vacantly out the window.  
"I'm going to take a break for a little while," He gestured to where H.B. Stewart's sat just down the road from the café. "I need to get away from study while I have this time off. I need to clear my head…"  
Samandriel nodded.  
"I think that's a good idea, Gabriel." He looked thoughtfully into his own empty coffee mug and raised his eyebrows. "Maybe you should visit Castiel."  
Gabriel nodded.  
"That was the plan."  
The glass doors swung open and two men in dark blue jackets with the name Lia Smog stitched in bright, orange thread on the sleeve walked into the almost-empty café. Samandriel pursed his lips and looked to Gabriel.  
"Yeah, we should leave." Gabriel said, understanding his friend's expression. They weren't quite in the mood to find out whether the Smog students were in league with the rivalry.

Sam's hand shook as he struggled to take notes in his International Law lecture. His lip quivered and he gulped as he tried to concentrate. He couldn't grasp at a single thought that flew threw his skull, and he couldn't make himself care about the content he was missing. After a moment, he zoned out, promising himself he would copy Bela's notes later. Guilt and anger was eating away at his concentration, and focusing in and out of the dull, deep voice of his lecturer was exhausting him. He sighed and sat back, the broken record of pain and confusion on constant rotate in his brain. It wasn't until he registered people leaving the room that he broke out of the familiar rut he had found himself in. He hurriedly collected his stationary and slung his cloth bag over his shoulder, following the exiting crowd.  
Sam jumped back as he looked up when he had cleared the room; Jess' toothy grin had suddenly invaded his vision. Her smile faltered as an eyebrow cocked.  
"You okay?" She wondered. "You've been acting really weirdly."  
Sam shrugged, walking and keeping his eyes to the floor.  
"Seriously Sam, you've been acting all moody since we went to Stewart's."  
Sam's eyes immediately widened as he shushed her.  
"Literally no one can know we went!"  
Jess chuckled.  
"What are they going to do, expel us?" She flashed a happy-go-lucky smiled his way, and seeing he was serious lost it to a disbelieving sneer. "Relax Sammy, I didn't even say it that loudly."  
Sam forced himself to calm down, shoving unbalanced emotions underneath his stomach.  
"It's Sam."

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_This whole fic is going to mostly be about Sam and Gabriel's feelings (if you haven't noticed). It's a different sort of writing style that I felt like trying =] Feedback is always welcomed x_


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